While I was collecting ashes for the event today, I noticed that you could do so without actually contributing to mini-game (bomb escort).

Since my first few runs, I've noticed several people simply idling near the furnaces while 1 or 2 people are doing all the work to bring the bomb to them.

Was this how the event was intended to work? I would think it would be set up so that only players participating in escorting the bomb (defeating chigoes, landing emotes etc) would receive a reward.